Bown, Albert (1841-1912). gunsmith.1860, Reserve Township, Allegheny County; 1861-62, Allegheny City, Allegheny County; 1868, Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio; 1869, Titusville, Crawford County; 1872, New Castle, Lawrence County; 1880-82, Titusville; 1894-1912, Pittsburgh. 1880, Albert Bown, gunsmith, 39; Sarah J., wife, 40; Clifford A., 11; Bessie R., 7; Julia Duby, servant, 22; D. J. Littlefield, physician, 43 [Dir.; Hopkins' Atlas of Lawrence County; tax; Census]. Apparently, Albert Bown was not related to James and William Bown, for Albert was not listed among James' sons in James' obituary. While in New Castle, Albert ran the following advertisement,
ALBERT BOWN, dealer in Hardware, Rifles, Guns, Revolvers, Pistols & C. Stencils cut to order. Rifles and general repairing done with dispatch. Rifles made to order. West End of Neshannock Bridge, New Castle.
Bown & Tetley. gun manufactory. 136 Wood St., Pittsburgh. James Bown was born in the England in 1823. He first went Canada with his parents in 1831 and then moved to New York state. Bown came to Pittsburgh at age 21 to work as a cutler with Cartwright Cutlery. Abram Tetley was also born in the England, in 1822. Bown & Tetley was established in 1848 as a cutlery and gradually grew into the gun business. Bown & Tetley were listed in all the period Pittsburgh directories. The Dir. of Pittsburgh and Allegheny City, 1850, calls the firm instrument maker. The Census of Industry of 1850 called the firm cutlers and showed they employed 7 hands with a $312 monthly payroll and made cutlery in the past 12 months valued at $7500. In the 1860 U.S. Census of Industry the firm was reported as having a $20,000 capital investment and a 14 horsepower steam engine. Over the previous 12 months it had bought $5800 in iron, wood and other raw materials; and had made 1800 rifles valued at $23,000. In May 1857 Bown and Tetley paid $2300 to Harvey Noble of Richland County, Ohio, for a lot in Pittsburgh's Ninth Ward, which property had on it a building 40 by 90 feet, built of brick and containing a gun barrel manufactory. This was probably the J. and D. Little factory, begun by James and Daniel Little, which was bought out by Harvey Little and renamed Noble and Little, with James Little. James Bown and John Tetley bought out Abram Tetley on 6 February 1862, for $1000; and, in turn, in 1863 John Tetley sold out his interest to Bown for $1500. A period advertisement showed the diversity of products offered by the firm,
ENTERPRISE WORKS, 136 Wood Street, 2 doors from Virgin Alley, Pittsburgh, BOWN & TETLEY practical cutlers, Surgical and Dental Instrument Manufacturers. We manufacture and keep constantly on hand a superior assortment of SURGICAL and DENTAL INSTRUMENTS, an article which we feel assured cannot be surpassed east or west of the Alleghenies and respectfully invite the profession to call and examine our instruments before purchasing elsewhere; we think it is no trouble to show them. In addition to the manufactory, we keep a general assortment of hardware and cutlery, Guns, Pistols, Hunting equipage, &c. We are also manufacturing a new kind of Dental Lathes, suitable for all mechanical work appertaining to the profession. We are also agents for C.C. Rhinehart's Celebrated Glass Pad Truss, the best article now in use - for sale by the single one or by the dozen.
[It was the] "only one in the West which constructs rifles and guns for the trade exclusively. It has been in operation in the present large scale about 4 years, and, in that time . . . has attained a reputation throughout the whole western country that is rapidly drawing off trade from eastern houses . . . . Their reputation . . . is conclusive as to their value . . . . This establishment employs 25 hands whose yearly wages amount to $15,600 and turns out now at the rate of 4000 rifles a year, with a steadily increasing demand . . . . This is the first attempt to establish on a large scale the manufacture of this species of arms here or in the West.
[Pittsburgh, Its Facts and Figures, 1857]
Bown, James (1823-1901). manufacturer. Proprietor, Bown & Tetley, 1848-99.
James Bown, one of the best known cutlery men of the state and famous for the manufacture of the Kentucky squirrel rifle, died at 6 p.m. yesterday, at the residence of his son, W. H. Bown, 5510 Baum street, East End [Pittsburgh]. Mr. Bown was born in England in 1823 and came to America with his parents when a boy of 8 years. His home was at first in Canada, and later in the state of New York. At the age of 21 he came to this City and here learned the cutlery trade. In 1848 he established the firm of Bown & Tetley on Wood street, between 5th and 6th avenues, dealing in hardware and firearms. Later he established the Enterprise Gun Works and made himself famous throughout the South and West by the large bore rifle produced by his firm. Still later he started the business of Bown & Son in the Lewis Block. He was in active touch with this until his retirement three years ago. Mr. Bown was married in this city in 1846 to Maria Bailey, a daughter of John Bailey. Six children, 3 sons and 3 daughters, survive. The sons are William H., James W. and Edwin S. . . . He was a prominent Mason and had many friends . . . .
[Pittsburgh Commercial, 30 January 1901]
Bown, William H. (1848-1903). gunsmith. William was a son of James Bown, associated with Enterprise Gun Works, Pittsburgh, 1875-1903. Some William Bown was listed as a gunsmith in Salem, Columbiana County, Ohio, about 1880 [Hutslar, p. 77].
POT ASH. Two Thousand Pounds, for family use, just received and for sale by W.H. Brown's New HARDWARE STORE and GUNSMITHING ESTABLISHMENT, corner of the Diamond and Market street, Pittsburgh.
[American Manufacturer, 14 August 1841]
